National Childcare Contacts

National Childcare Contacts

Barnardo's Scotland is committed to working collaboratively with voluntary, health, education, social care and justice agencies to improve services and outcomes for children, young people and families in Scotland. They provide more than 70 community-based services throughout the country working with over 10,000 vulnerable children, young people and their families.

The Care Inspectorate was created by the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. It is a national body responsible for regulating care services throughout Scotland. The Care Inspectorate has a legal duty to register and inspect a wide range of care services, including day care of children and childminding, and helps to ensure that people who use care services are safe, protected and that the services meet the requirements of the law and other standards.

CHILDREN 1st is one of Scotland's leading childcare charities. Their mission is to give every child in Scotland a safe and secure childhood. CHILDREN 1st supports families under stress, protects children from harm and neglect and promotes children's rights and interests.

Early Years Online contains information and resources for all involved or interested in the care and education of children 0-8 years. The site provides quick access to up to date information about current thinking and research, new initiatives and policy decisions in the fast changing world of early years education and care. It also supports continuing professional development for all early years staff.

NDNA is the national membership association of day nurseries in the UK, dedicated to the provision, support and promotion of high-quality care and education for the benefit of children, families and communities.

Action for Children is one of the UK's leading children's charities, helping children achieve their full potential. Through their services they support some of the UK's most vulnerable and excluded children, and work in partnership to develop services in response to the needs of local children, young people and their families.

Play Scotland is the national organisation for children's play, working to make the right to play a reality for children in Scotland. Services include the provision of advice and information, conferences and seminars. Play Scotland is active in promoting and carrying out research into play provision including work on school playgrounds.

SCIS can help parents choose the right school for their children and publishes a free directory each year that gives details of independent schools throughout Scotland including information on scholarships and bursaries, fees and contact information.

Early Years Scotland (previously Scottish Pre-School Play Association, SPPA) aims to develop quality care and education in pre-school groups by providing advice, support and training on issues of good practice in the management of groups, play and educational development of children.

SCMA promotes childminding as a quality childcare service. Its primary purpose is to inform childminders, parents, employers, local authorities and central government about what constitutes good practice in childminding and how this can be attained.

SOSCN is the lead organisation representing out of school care and school-aged childcare in Scotland, offering advice, support and information to childcare providers, parents, development workers and other organisations working within the sector. They support the right to play and the continued development of a playcare training infrastructure as well as equal opportunities and partnership working.